What size spoke wrench for Rohloff Spokes?

[REEB BikePacker]

Hi Folks:

I'm in the process of ordering a Rohloff hub, spokes, rim, etc., and will build the wheels when it all arrives.  I'm trying to plan ahead, and realized I don't know if I have the right-sized spoke wrench for those Rohloff nipples.

Anybody know what size spoke wrench used for Rohloff spokes?  Is it the same as DT spokes?

Another question:  Do Sapim Racer spokes (2.0/1.8/2.0) still have the 2.9 mm bend?  Or should I just stick with Rohloff brand spokes?  The Sapim website says their standard is 2.8mm bend.  If Sapim Race spokes are good, what wrench do they use?

Thanks!

[Andre Jute]

I don't know which spokes Rohloff supplies these days, but I have a bike with wheels built a dozen or so years ago with Sapim Strong spokes with the special Rohloff elbow bend, and they're still drum tight. I were you, I'd take the spokes Rohloff offers and build the wheel to Rohloff's recommendations (actually, if I were you, and these were normal times, I'd get SJS to build the wheel) and with Sapim's matching Polyax nipples to tune out any remaining angular stress.

The Sapim Strong are butt-ugly spokes, and I'm not making a pun, but with the Rohloff bend they work like a charm. Pictures of spokes, nipples and end result at:
http://thorncyclesforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=10979.msg79497#msg79497

Good luck with your wheels.

PS Unless you go for an expensive "professional" nipple spanner, nipple spanners usually have three slots on them, and the chances are one will fit. Or you could just go for the most comfortable one, the red Spokey being the right size, 3.25mm, see
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tools/spokey-red-for-euro-us-spokes/

[REEB BikePacker]

Thank you for your reply!!

Yeah ... I've decided to definitely go with the Rohloff-brand spokes, and use the 2x pattern they specify. 

I Just need to know the proper size of wrench, since I like to have the perfect fit.  I've used the black Park wrench my whole life, which is the perfect fit for DT stainless spokes, which I've always preferred.

Are you sure 3.25 is the perfect fit?  The Spokey website, doesn't mention Rohloff ... it just says it's "for US/Euro" spokes.  It's hard to believe there's only one nipple size manufactured throughout the US and Europe.

A lot of people think its ok to get a larger spoke wrench, and just use it for everything, but these wheels will become my babies, and a wrench that's slightly too large will feel wrong while I'm building the wheel.

Anybody know for sure the wrench size for Rohloff?

Thanks!

Oh ... and I think your Stainless spokes look beautiful, but that's just me 

[Andre Jute]

Park and Spokey colour codes are different. DT Swiss and Sapim nipples will both fit your Park Black spoke key, which is good from 3.17mm to 3.24mm, if possibly tightly enough to require care. The Red Spokey does the same business. I don't see that you need a new spoke key until you have the nipples in hand, possibly not even then unless they're fractionally oversize -- and I'm hard put to think of a scenario in which that would be allowed to happen to this particular spoke-maker. I just checked the Red Spokey as carried on all my bikes and it fits nicely on the Polyax nipples.

[REEB BikePacker]

Thanks again for your input.  I just wanted to get things ready to go, so I can start building as soon as the parts arrive in the mail  I'm doing everything by mail these days, and ordering a new spoke wrench after the parts arrive will delay me by another week.  I've put in an email to Rohloff about this and I'll share their response with the group.

Happy trails to all!

[REEB BikePacker]

Ok ... I heard back from Rohloff, and they confirmed that the 3.25 max spoke wrench is the smallest size that will fit.   So my old Park spoke wrench will fit nice and snug.

And a special thanks to Andre Jute for your help.